Archive for
March 10th, 2011

An Atlanta nightclub has dismissed a lawsuit against Miami Heat star LeBron James.

The Opera nightclub had filed a complaint Monday in Fulton County Superior Court accusing James of canceling a March 17 appearance for which he was supposed to be paid $25,000. It also accused the owners of the rival Gold Room nightclub in Atlanta of instead arranging a visit there.

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have hired Ed Lang as the Chief Financial Officer for the team. Lang comes to New Orleans following 13 years with the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Lang will oversee financial operations, human resources, information technology, facility operations, and administrative components for the Hornets, including serving as the primary contact for the NBA in related matters.

“We’re excited to have Ed join our family as he brings a wealth of business knowledge from both the sports and non-sports industries,” said Hornets President Hugh Weber. “He has an extensive background in finance and business functions, and we know he will be a tremendous asset to our team.”

Lang joined the Nashville Predators in 1997 as one of the team’s first employees, after having been instrumental in assisting former team owner Craig Leipold in securing the expansion franchise. He began as the organization’s Vice President/CFO and was named Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration/CFO in 2005. In 2007, he became President of Business Operations for the Predators taking on the responsibilities for the franchise’s business operations, which included ticket operations, sales, sponsorship sales, broadcasting, marketing, communications and development, administration and finances.

“This is a great opportunity to be a part of the Hornets family, and I am more than thrilled to now call New Orleans home,” said Lang. “This team has such a bright future ahead, and I’m excited to help lead the charge in our business operations side.”

Prior to joining the Predators, Lang worked for S.C. Johnson and Son in Racine, Wis. for 12 years. He served in a variety of business and financial capacities, including venture manager for the office of the chairman, financial support manager, North America professional markets; and financial project manager, corporate financial analysis.

A Cincinnati, Ohio native, Lang is a 1985 Indiana University graduate with a B.S. in finance and received his MBA from Marquette University in 1992. He and his wife, Rita, have two sons, Eddie and Andrew. Lang is an outdoor enthusiast and has competed in numerous triathlons, marathons and cycling events and also enjoys skiing and mountain climbing.

Michael Jordan receives massive standing ovations whenever he returns to the United Center, as he will Saturday night for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Bulls’ first NBA championship in a ceremony with former broadcaster Jim Durham as host.

But there might be a few extra decibels involved given what His Airness said about Derrick Rose in a rare interview Wednesday night.

“MVP of the season,” the Bobcats owner said Wednesday night after the Bulls downed his team 101-84. “He deserves it. He’s playing that well, without a doubt.”

Then Jordan offered that sly smile.

“And if he doesn’t get it, now he will see how I felt a lot of those years,” the Bulls’ Hall of Famer said…

“I wish man,” Rose said. “It’s great that he said that. It’s an honor. I’m speechless. But I’m just trying to keep winning. The award will come if we keep winning. I’m just trying to play hard and aggressive and with an edge.”

The hardest part of what turned out to be a historic night for Kevin Love was deciding whether he was going to play at all.

With a bulky brace wrapped around his bruised and swollen left knee, the Minnesota Timberwolves star didn’t decide to give it a go until about 20 minutes before tipoff. Once he did, he made extending the longest double-double streak in 37 years look too easy.

Love recorded his 52nd double-double in a row to surpass Moses Malone for the longest such streak since the ABA and NBA merged in 1976 in the Timberwolves’ 101-75 over the free-falling Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Love put up 16 points and 21 rebounds in just 27 minutes to help the Timberwolves win for just the 16th time this season. Love didn’t waste any time extending the streak, reaching double figures in points and rebounds with just under seven minutes to play in the first half.

The New Jersey Nets have signed guard Sundiata Gaines to a second 10-day contract, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

The 24-year old from the University of Georgia has appeared in three games for the Nets, averaging 5.7 points and 4.0 assists in 18.3 minutes. In 17 games with New Jersey, Toronto and Minnesota this season, he has averaged 4.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 12.3 minutes per contest.

In 49 career NBA games, including 32 appearances with Utah in 2009-10, Gaines has averaged 3.7 points and 1.4 assists in 8.7 minutes while shooting .431 (66-153) from the field.